


Bittersweet

by StarScreamLoki



Category: Loki - Fandom, Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Bullying, Coffee, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Happy Ending, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Revenge, loki is a little shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 13:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15050225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarScreamLoki/pseuds/StarScreamLoki
Summary: This fic is a combination of an imagine Loki, and an ask on Veliseraptor’s Tumbrl blog and the answer. So,imagine Loki replacing all the coffee in the Stark Tower with decaf and then swapping it with espresso after a couple of months, andwhat if Loki downs half a pot if Vanaheim espresso?Even the God of Lies makes mistakes sometimes.





	Bittersweet

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, this story might seem a little bit old, but I really enjoyed writing it! Thanks to the Anon who put in the ask, thanks to @Veliseraptor and @theotherodinson for the headcanons. Also thanks for @imagine-loki for putting up the imagine. Headcanons are not mine, I just wrote more letters around them!

At had been a couple of weeks since Loki had taken up residence in the Avengers Tower. It hadn’t been a pleasant stay because the Avengers kept picking on him, and more than once had he considered to leave, no matter what the repercussions might be. On the other hand did he have way to much fun with annoying the Avengers as they had to put up with his mischievous pranks as well, but the fact remained that Loki only pulled off tricks and made sure no harm would befall them, but the Avengers didn’t play by that rule, and Loki had been hurt more than once.

In the end he never had had the heart to actually walk out of the compound because Tony way to often threatened with the device that could render him paralyzed, not able to do anything against the violent electrical shocks that would travel through his veins.

Loki shuddered. Clint had gotten his hands on the device once and had used on Loki just to get back at him for brainwashing him. It had been Thor who had eventually freed him from the shocks of the device.

Little did Clint knew, and the Archer still wasn’t aware of the fact that Loki had been manipulated himself to act in the way he had done a year ago. Maybe someone hadn’t explained it to him yet, but it was more likely Barton just wanted his sweet revenge and choose to ignore the fact.

But Loki could handle it and ever gracious he let them pester him, partly amused at their actions, partly not caring, but most of all biding his time for his revenge.

Loki smiled. The Avengers had been on edge for the last couple of days because Loki hadn’t done anything mischievous for a whole week and they constantly eyed him warily when they were around him. And thus Loki put on smirking, faked smiles whenever one of them was keeping an eye on him, acting all innocent and sweet.

Of course Loki wouldn’t go a whole week without pulling of some mischief, but this time he had set up something for the long term and he just had to be patient even though he often itched to kill each and every one of them.

He had noticed that each Avenger greatly depended on coffee, whether it be morning, during the day or the evening. They downed the liquid like their life depended on it. Loki hadn’t tried it yet and eventually he had thought it would be for the better not to try it either. He had done some research on the black stuff and learned about the cafeïne  _and_ the existence of decaf!

One night he had snuck around the tower and replaced the coffee of every machine with decaf coffee. He wasn’t as stupid to leave behind any traces and had swapped the normal beans in each package with decaf as well.

The first couple of days had been hilarious. Even Thor, who also was addicted to the brown liquid by now, had fallen prey to Loki’s trick and Loki was very amused at seeing them walk around like zombies, not able to focus or stop yawning.

It had been a dangerous situation as well, because they weren’t their normal selves and if there would be an attack of some sorts, Loki was pretty sure they might have gotten themselves in peril. Luckily no such thing had happened and Loki enjoyed the quiet time he had, for they were all too tired to bother with his presence and they left him be.

After a couple of days the Avengers were turning back to their normal selves again, and with that, their occasional snippy or hurtful remark at the God of Lies. Loki didn’t care, or at least pretended not to care, and just let them push him around. 

His time would come.

 

***

 

After a couple of weeks biding his time, one night Loki found himself snooping around the tower again, messing with the coffee machines again. This time he replaced all the decaf with espresso and a sly smile played around his lips.

Tomorrow would be so much fun!

Morning came and the Avengers moved to the kitchen for their breakfast and coffee. Loki sat on the sofa, smirking from behind his book, trying not to draw too much attention to himself but actually feeling quite giddy at what was about to come.

The Avengers downed their coffee, some of them looking at the contents of their cup with a weird face. “Does this taste different to you?” Bruce asked to no-one in particular. Nobody answered for they were still to drowsy and Bruce just shrugged, downing the rest and pouring another.

It took some time before the cafeïne had kicked in, but when it did, Loki had a very hard time keeping his poker face, biting his lip not to burst out in laughing.

Bruce and Tony were wound up in a conversation about some science project, talking so fast it was almost inhuman and Loki had to strain his hearing to keep up with the conversation. But both of them were on edge, trying to trump the other with their ideas, which started to border on ideas that maybe they shouldn’t execute because they were downright bad, to Loki actually fearing for the welfare of the realm. And considering the fact that  _he_ had set an army loose on Earth, one could only imagine how utterly dangerous the ideas from the two scientists were!

Thor on the other hand did have a somewhat similar reaction, also trying to be the alpha-male, but in his own way. Claiming to be ‘the almighty God of Thunder’ - which of course he is - he started to summon dark clouds, rain, and said thunder right there in the tower, the clouds whirling around him in a entrancing dance. When Thor started to display the Thunder even more, sending it across the room in loud cracks and almost frying the book in Loki’s hands and destroying multiple items and furniture, Tony had had enough, had suited up, and kicked Thor out of the tower so he could ‘play’ outside with his dark clouds.

Thor’s actions had effected Bruce and the Hulk had been scratching the surface to get out, but Tony really didn’t want his tower buried in ruin and had achieved to calm Bruce down by rapidly talking about their project again, keeping the green monster at bay.

Loki let out a sigh of relief at that because he wasn’t very fond of the beast. They had more than once threatened to set it loose on him if he wouldn’t stop… Well, whatever it was he was doing wrong in their eyes, which pretty much contained living and breathing all together.

Steve just literally bounded of the walls, using the room and furniture as his training ground leaping from couch to chair and somersaulting through the air. In one particular somersault Steve jumped over Loki, Steve’s hair brushing the top of Loki’s forehead while upside down in his leap. It was at this point that Loki started to doubt his trick a little bit. Steve bounded towards Tony and Bruce who were still wrapped up in a heated discussion which started to contain a lot of vile words. “Language-language-LANGUAGE,” Steve bellowed as he passed them, jumped on the counter and crouched there like a cat.

Suddenly the door burst open and Clint rolled in, his bow set and an arrow trailing towards the God of Mischief which he barely caught before it hit him in the shoulder. Quickly Loki disposed of the arrow, anticipating it might explode, but it didn't.

Threateningly Clint stalked towards Loki, murder in his eyes while summing up all that Loki had ruined for him when he was enthralled. By now Loki had put his book away and got up from his spot on the sofa, trying to make himself as tall and threatening as he could. Something in the back of his mind said that Barton would not back down and that he was out with intent to hurt Loki. Loki only smiled at the archer, warily eyeing the bow and its arrow that was aimed for Loki’s eyes.

Bruce and Tony had stopped their conversation to watch the situation unfold, and even Steve looked curious at the events.

Before Loki or Clint could do something, Natasha jumped between them, telling Clint to put away the arrow and back off.

Loki raised an eyebrow, baffled by the fact that she would put herself between them because she absolutely held no love for the Trickster, yet her she was putting herself in harm's way. ‘Move, Romanoff,’ Clint hissed, “so I can put an arrow through his skull and see if he still lives to tell after that!”

Natasha was unfazed by Bartons threat and sped forward, shoving the bow out of harm’s way (and setting the arrow of which ended up in the ceiling), and with a few quick blows she had Barton on his knees. It had all been to quick for Barton who was still stuck in a cafeïne-haze and hadn’t been able to focus on the Black Widow and her quick moves. He swore vigilantly which was immediately followed by a Steve bellowing “language”.

“I think I’ll take my leave now,” Loki stated calmly and trying not to sound threatening. As he went for the door, eyeing Clint warily, he saw the counter. Loki only counted five used cups and his head snapped up to meet Natasha’s eyes. A grin formed on her face and Loki realised he hadn’t seen the Black Widow down her morning coffee.

She knew!

 

***

 

Loki hadn’t taken his leave but merily made himself invisible to further observe. And even though he had felt the threat, he still snickered at their actions as they bounded of the wall.

When all dust was finally settled, and everybody except Natasha was crashed down on the chairs and sofas in the living room, Loki revealed himself and casually walked back into the living room. A stupid smirk formed on his face as he saw the deprived faces from the Avengers. Loki picked up his book, which miraculously still was on the table and unmarred, and took of to his chambers.

While he lay on his bed he still snickered at the thought of the Avengers bouncing of the walls. It had been a dangerous situation, for him as well considering Barton who  _actually_ had wanted to kill him, but it also had been fun and he would definitely do it again.

No, not again, that would be boring but he could definitely up the game. If only he could get his hands on some coffee from Vanaheim…

 

***

 

It had taken a couple of months, but luck had been with Loki for he had been to Asgard with Thor. The exact reason for their travel had not been shared with Loki, but he was pretty sure it had to do something with his behaviour. He didn’t mind though and upon his visit he had snuck into the kitchen of Asgard and managed to get the cook to give him coffee from Vanaheim.

Upon his return Loki had carefully planned his action. In the first couple of weeks all of the Avengers had been warily around the coffee machines, checking and making sure that there hadn’t been tempered with their precious liquid, but eventually everything went back to normal - as far as that would ever go - and they had downed their guard.

Loki still acted out of spite, simply because sometimes he was so utterly done with their behaviour of messing with him but he couldn’t in the least say his hands were clean, because more than once Loki still antagonized them all and especially Clint had suffered Loki’s wrath in the first couple of weeks after the first coffee-incident.

It was early in the morning and everybody was still asleep except Loki who once more snuck around the Tower. With a smirk on his face Loki replaced the regular coffee with the Vanaheim version. He was just about done when the coffee machine in the kitchen turned on and started to brew the brown liquid. It was one of Stark’s little inventions, making sure the coffee was ready in the morning so the first person who got up didn’t need to turn on the machine but could just grab a cup.

Loki watched with some fascination as the machine made some vibrating noises and the liquid started to drip in the can. He really did not understand what everyone on this Godforsaken realm found so appealing about this stuff and he wrinkled his nose at the smell of it. Loki rather had a decent cup of tea.

He was curious however. What made it so appealing? Why did everyone need it so badly to function? But most important, what did it actually taste like?

He thought back at what had happened with the Avengers and still smirked at the thought of them bounding of the walls, and he really shouldn’t, but he was just so curious. And was it harmful to try? Sure this Vanaheim stuff was stronger than that compared to the Midgardian stuff, but how much would it affect him? He was a God after all, and the God of Mischief on top of that!

Loki was torn between the options, but in the end his arrogance and his curiosity got the better of him and he poured himself a cup, sipping it’s contents.

It didn’t taste awful but he wasn’t sure he liked it very much either. After he had downed the first cup he waited for a couple of minutes, but nothing seemed to happen. He didn’t feel different in any way and something must have been off. Maybe this stuff from Vanaheim was not as strong as he thought it would be, and thus he poured himself another cup and downed that as well.

Still nothing. Another cup.

Loki shrugged. Maybe it wouldn’t affect him, and he really didn’t like the taste anyway, so he forfeited his attempt at understanding this stuff. He walked to the sofa and flopped down on it, picked up his book and started to read.

After fifteen minutes Loki felt his fingers tingle and the words on his book didn’t seem to come through anymore. He looked at his fingers and played with the magic that swirled around it, giggling softly at the traces it left in the air. Suddenly he felt the urge pace around the room, and thus he got up and did so, his thoughts going rapidly.

_Maybe the coffee had worked. It was such a weird thing. Other things were weird as well. Like what? Oh right, the magic around my fingers!_

Loki paced through the room, intently watching at his magic which couldn’t seem to focus and just bounded of his hand in any way he pleased.

_Magic, yes! Didn’t the mortals find magic difficult to understand? Why? It was just so easy! If you’d just-_

At that moment Tony walked into the room, a worn expression on his face, as he saw the God of Mischief pacing around the room, green magic radiating from his entire being and lazidly trailer after him. Tony stopped dead in his tracks, raised an eyebrow and just gaped at Loki.

A little uncertain Tony spoke, not sure what had gotten into him. “Reindeer Games, what are you doing?”

When Loki noticed Tony he reacted with a delighted glee and a stupid grin on his face. “I-understand-it-now,” Loki said, the words tumbling out of his mouth. Before Tony was well aware Loki was in front of his nose and babbling to him about God knew what and Tony’s mouth just dropped open farther. A little bit scared Tony took a few steps back until he was standing in front of the doorframe, and Loki just kept walking with him, still talking like the devil was on his tail.

Just when Tony wanted to take another step back someone from behind bumped against him. Before either one of them could make a snippy remark Loki gleefully exclaimed “Thor!” and started rambling at the God of Thunder.

With a snap Thor was pulled out of his drowsy state of sleepiness and looked at his brother. Loki’s eyes were wide open, the green magic surrounding him giving him an eerie look and Loki was shivering. “Brother, what has gotten into you?” Thor asked concerned.

“I-can-finally-see-it-now. All-the-patterns-and-how-it-is-linked-together! It-” Loki started to speak so fast that Thor had problems following what Loki was saying and his eyes grew wider at the oddness with which his brother was behaving.

“Uh-oh,” Thor heard Tony mutter from the kitchen and Thor stealed a looked at him, seeing the coffeepot Tony was holding aloft. Within two strides Thor was near Tony, getting a furious scorn from Loki about being rude to walk away when someone was having a conversation with you. But Loki’s thoughts went so rapidly he quickly forgot about Thor’s rude behavior and he just stared out in front of him, still shivering, no, vibrating, his eyes wide and his magic swirling around him like a whirlwind.

Thor picked up the can of coffee and smelled at its contents, even carefully taking a sip, not bother to pour it in a mug first. “This is not from Earth,” he stated. Tony mumbled some vile words under his breath which immediately followed by the all to known snappy remark from Steve who entered the room.

Without second thoughts Tony grabbed the can from Thor and dumped its contents into the sink and asked JARVIS what had happened. JARVIS told what had transpired and Loki angrily looked around trying to find the source that was JARVIS while calling him a traitor and a coward for not showing himself.

Thor walked out of the room leaving Tony and Steve with the God of Lies. They carefully tried to approach him, trying to calm him down, but when they did, Loki lashed out with his magic and they kept their distance, not willing to antagonize the God any further.

Eventually Bruce, Natasha and Clint appeared as well, baffled at Loki’s state who was talking to himself now, drawing things in the air with his magic. Clint laughed at seeing Loki in this state and suddenly Barton had Loki’s undivided attention drawn to him, murder in his green eyes. Within two strides Loki was in front of Barton, grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him in the air and snarled at him.

“Brother!” Thor screamed from the door opening in which he stood. Loki’s head snapped his way, a bewildered look in his eyes. “Put. Him. Down.” Thor threatened and stalked towards Loki. A soft ‘uh-oh’ came from Tony who was reluctantly anticipating that the two Gods would tear down his tower.

Loki didn’t let go of Barton and Thor had to pry the Archer from his strong grip. As Loki got angrier the magic swirling around him started to expand and even sizzle. Tony mumbled something about suiting up which resulted in an angry glare from Loki, his eyes fixing on Stark and making Tony well aware he would be next one who had to be pried from Loki’s deadly grip. Before things got any worse Thor ordered everyone to leave the room.

Trusting the God of Thunder, everyone did as they were told.

Thor walked to the kitchen and put on the water boiler and set down the stuff he had went out to get. Loki’s behaviour had turned around completely, from the anger and intended murder just seconds ago, to happily chidding away again about every thought that coursed through his brain. It was also at this point that Loki started talking in multiple languages at once in one sentence, and Thor had just forfeited listening to him at all.

The water boiler was done and Thor continued what he was set out to make while more magic swirled around Loki. It was then that he started to whimper and shiver even more, skittishly looking around from the corners of his eyes. Loki could feel his heart rapidly beating in his chest, his blood pumping through his veins as never before giving him an odd sensation of feeling too warm but not able to shake it off.

Suddenly he was behind Thor breathing down his neck, fidgeting with Thor’s clothes while trying to see what he was doing. Thor wondered if Loki was even remotely aware of his behaviour but one look in his brothers eyes told him he probably wasn’t.

The door opened and Steve walked in, startling Loki who seemed a little bit too jumpy for his normal way of acting. Steve moved through the room. “Just here to get my…” he eyed Loki warily who made a sudden move by stepping behind Thor, “...things…”

Loki’s eyes stood wild while he looked at the Captain over the shoulder of his brother. “Is he having an anxiety attack?” Steve whispered. Thor shrugged and his sudden movement made Loki jump.

Not wanting to see how this would play out, or being the next victim of the God of Lies, Steve hurried out of the room with his equipment and closed the door with a bang. Loki bared his teeth at the door, almost hissing like a snake.

“I made you some tea,” Thor spoke soothingly. “It’s mother’s calming herbal tea. Please drink it.”

Loki eyed the glass and its contents warily. Still not having shaken his snake-like behaviour he hissed at it. Then he figured he might as well turn into one and slithered across the floor, green scales gleaming and still surrounded by a swirl of magic.

Thor sighed. This was going to be a long day!

 

***

 

Loki lay on the couch, a splitting headache eating away at his skull. He couldn’t remember much about what had transpired except for some bits and pieces.

Natasha opened the fridge and an eyebrow crept up towards her hairline. “Loki, why is your book in the fridge?”

Loki moaned, he couldn’t remember he had put it there. This had been a bad idea and he wouldn’t ever touch coffee again.

 

***

 

It had been weeks and everyone was still on edge after this whole endeavour.

The Avengers had decided to install new machines that didn’t grant access to anyone but JARVIS who controlled the order of the right coffee beans, and their refills. 

It had been, however, the last time any of them had bullied the God of Lies.


End file.
